Colombia Coffee Zone: Birdwatching with Local Communities

The Otún river basin is located in northwestern Colombia, in the Central Andes mountain range, south of the department of Risaralda. The wealth of water, flora and fauna of the upper Otún River basin deserves to be preserved in the best way, but also to be admired by its visitors. It includes territories in the Los Nevados National Natural Park, the Otún Quimbaya Flora and Fauna Sanctuary, and the Ucumarí Nature Reserve. In this place we can find impressive mammal species such as the Mountain Tapir (Tapirus pinchaque), Crab-eating Fox (Cerdocyon thous) and Red-howler Monkey (Alouatta seniculus). Also charismatic birds such as the Torrent Duck (Merganetta armata), Red-ruffed Fruitcrow (Pyroderus scutatus) and the endemic Multicolored Tanager (Chlorochrysa nitidissima) and Cauca Guan (Penelope perspicax).

A day to explore the Andean forests of the Otún Quimbaya Flora and Fauna Sanctuary in search of groups of Red-Howler Monkey, the emblematic and endemic Cauca Guan, and also the Mountain Tapir, which is one of the largest mammals in the Andes.

After breakfast we will embark on a trip to the small town of Belén de Umbría: coffee landscapes, local culture and cloud forests in the mountains of the western cordillera. The Santa Emilia Regional Natural Park (PNR) is located on the eastern slopes of the Cordillera Occidental within an altitudinal range of 1700-2750 meters above sea level. The refuge is managed by local campesino organizations, who will be our hosts and guides for a 2 to 3 hour hike to find the meeting place of the Andean cock-of-the-rock (Rupicola peruvianus), an unforgettable and unique moment in nature.

In the morning we will cross the mountains with the plantations coffee to head to the Municipality of Mistrató, and approach the mountainous and jungle region of Chocó biogeographic. In the afternoon, we visited some terraces and observation towers to enjoy the presence of hummingbirds, tanagers and charismatic Club-winged Manakin (Machaeropterus deliciosus), some endemic species.

In the morning we will have more time to enjoy the terraces, observation towers and some paths surrounded by Andean forests. In the afternoon, we headed to the Municipality of Chinchina, to learn about a family project of bird-friendly coffee crops, the perfect opportunity to also look for the birds of the coffee forest.

This route is a tour of 8 paths in the municipality of Villamaría, located in the south-central region of the department of Caldas, in which the culture, customs and traditions of the coffee-growing people stand out; The locals are the main actors in the visits and activities and nature is the protagonist. In addition to the opportunity to see condors, toucans and many other birds fly over, it is also home to the Indigo-winged Parrot (Hapalopsittaca fuertesi). We will have to take a walk in the Andean heights, an apportunidy to watch this species of endemic parrot. At the end of the day we will rest in a comfortable and traditional coffee farm.

Get to know the ecosystem near the Nevado del Ruiz Volcano (altitude 4100 masl, cold climate). Very early in the morning we will head to the páramo, a unique ecosystem of the Andes where live very particular species such as the endemic hummingbird Buffy Helmetcrest (Oxypogon stuebelii), the possibility to see the Andean Condor (Vultur gryphus), the Scarlet-bellied Mountain Tanager (Anisognathus igniventris) and the Shining Sunbeam (Aglaeactis cupripennis).

Hacienda Venecia coffee tour and bird watching in the gardens before departure to the airport. Transfer to Pereira airport